Technical Field
The embodiments herein relate to weapons and more particularly to ordnance warheads.
Description of the Related Art
Existing munitions primarily rely on the detonation of an explosive to fragment and project a solid metal body (typically steel) towards a target. The interaction of the fragments and the target may lead to destructive effects that destroy or disable the target. Conventional warheads use inert materials that contribute no additional energy to the effect; the destruction of the target is exclusively dependent on the energy imparted on the fragment by the detonating explosive.
Lethality may be a function of the number of fragments projected, the area of the target that is vulnerable to damage from those fragments, and the probability that a fragment impacting that vulnerable area will cause the desired destructive effect. Consequently, the lethality may be dependent on the nature of the target and the impact area of the fragment on the body of the target.
The vulnerable area of a target may be limited to critical components or compartments of the target, and fragments that do not strike these vulnerable areas may not play a meaningful role in the destruction of the target. An example of this effect can be seen in fragments impacting a light vehicle such as a truck. Only fragments that strike critical areas such as the engine block or crew compartment may be relevant to the act of destroying or disabling the vehicle. If the fragments are inert, the fuel tanks of a vehicle are typically not considered part of the vulnerable area; a steel fragment will not ignite the fuel tank and may not cause a significant loss of fuel.